Fedegoso is a small tree that grows 5–8 m high and is found in many tropical
areas of South America, including the Amazon. Indigenous to Brazil, it is also
found in warmer climates and tropical areas of South, Central, and North
America. It is in the same genus as senna (C. senna) and is sometimes called
“coffee senna.” It is botanically classified as both Senna occidentalis and Cassia
occidentalis. Its seeds, found in long seed pods, are sometimes roasted and made
into a coffee-like beverage. The Cassia genus comprises some 600 species of
trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs, with numerous species growing in the South
American rainforests and tropics. Many species have been used medicinally,
and these tropical plants have a rich history in natural medicine.
Various Cassia plants have been known since the ninth or tenth centuries as purgatives and laxatives, including Cassia angustifolia and Cassia senna.

TRIBAL AND HERBAL MEDICINE USES

Fedegoso has been used as natural medicine in the rainforest and other tropical
areas for centuries. Its roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds have been employed
in herbal medicine around the world. In Peru, the roots are considered a diuretic,
and a decoction is made for fevers. The seeds are brewed into a coffee-like
beverage for asthma, and a flower infusion is used for bronchitis in the Peruvian
Amazon. In Brazil, the roots of fedegoso are considered a tonic, fever
reducer, and diuretic; they are used for fevers, menstrual problems, tuberculosis,
anemia, liver complaints, and as a tonic for general weakness and illness.
The leaves are also used in Brazil for gonorrhea, fevers, urinary tract disorders,
edema, and menstrual problems. The Miskito Indians of Nicaragua use a fresh
plant decoction for general pain, menstrual and uterine pain, and constipation
in babies. In Panama, a leaf tea is used for stomach colic, the crushed leaves are
used in a poultice as an anti-inflammatory, and the crushed fresh leaves are
taken internally to expel intestinal worms and parasites. In many countries
around the world, the fresh and/or dried leaves of fedegoso are crushed or
brewed into a tea and applied externally for skin disorders, wounds, skin fungus,
parasitic skin diseases, abscesses, and as a topical analgesic and antiinflammatory
natural medicine.

PLANT CHEMICALS

The Cassia plants are well known for a group of chemicals with strong laxative actions called anthraquinones. The most widely used species of Cassia in herbal
medicine is known as senna (Cassia senna or C. acutifolia). The actions of the
anthraquinones chemicals are the basis of senna’s widespread use as a purgative
and strong laxative. While fedegoso does contain a small amount of these
anthraquinones, it was shown in a rat study not to have the same strong purgative
and laxative effects as senna.

Fedegoso has been the subject of recent clinical research for its beneficial effects on the liver and immune system. In the late 1970s, two research groups published
three studies citing the beneficial effects of fedegoso in human patients with liver toxicity, hepatitis, and even acute liver failure. Other researchers followed up on those actions, publishing four different in vivo studies (mice and rats) from 1994 to 2001. These studies report that fedegoso leaf extracts have the ability to protect the liver from various introduced chemical toxins, normalize liver enzymes and processes, and repair liver damage. Some of this research
has also demonstrated significant immunostimulant activity by increasing humoral immunity and bone marrow immune cells in mice, and protecting them from chemically-induced immunosuppresion. These researchers and oers also reported the antimutagenic actions of fedegoso. In this research,
fedegoso was able to prevent or reduce the mutation of healthy cells in the presence
of laboratory chemicals which were known to mutate them.

In other in vivo studies, fedegoso leaf extracts have demonstrated an anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, smooth-muscle relaxant, antispasmodic, weak uterine
stimulant, vasoconstrictor, and antioxidant activities in laboratory animals.
These documented actions certainly help to explain its uses in traditional medicine
systems for menstrual cramps and other internal inflammatory conditions.
Fedegoso has also been used for many types of bacterial, fungal, and parasitic
infections for many years in the tropical countries where it grows. In vitro clinical
research on fedegoso leaves over the years has reported active antibacterial,
antifungal, antiparasitic, insecticidal, and antimalarial properties.

CURRENT PRACTICAL USES

Although the seeds of fedegoso are used in herbal medicine in small amounts
(and even roasted and brewed as a coffee substitute in some countries), several
clinical studies have demonstrated the toxicity of the fresh and/or
dried/roasted seeds. Ingestion of large amounts of the seeds by grazing animals
has been reported to cause toxicity problems and even death in cows, horses,
and goats. Due to the well-known and well-documented toxicity of these seeds,
they are best avoided altogether. Toxicity studies on the aerial parts, leaves, and
roots of fedegoso have been published by several research groups. These studies
reported that various leaf and root extracts given to mice (administered orally
and injected at up to 500 mg/kg) did not demonstrate any toxic effect or
cause mortality.

Health practitioners today are employing fedegoso in their practices much
the same way it has been in traditional medicine for many years. It is an excellent
natural remedy for bacterial and fungal infections and now is clinically
shown to boost immune function simultaneously. As a liver tonic, science supports
its beneficial action and use in various liver conditions including anemia,
hepatitis, and liver damage (drug- or alcohol-induced). New research suggests,
with its antimutagenic actions, fedegoso could possibly help keep damaged
liver cells from turning into cancerous ones, as often happens with chronic hepatitis
B and C infections.

Cautions: May speed the clearance of some drugs in the liver (thereby reducing their effect). It is mildly hypotensive (lowers blood pressure).

Traditional Preparation: The therapeutic dosage is reported to be 1 cup of a standard leaf infusion twice daily. If desired, 3–4 ml of a tincture twice daily or 1–2 g in tablets or capsules twice daily can be substituted. See Traditional Herbal Remedies Preparation Methods page if necessary for definitions.

Contraindications:

Fedegoso leaf extracts have demonstrated weak uterine stimulant activity and smooth-muscle relaxant actions in rats. As such, the use of this plant is contraindicated during pregnancy.

Fedegoso has demonstrated hypotensive activity in dogs and, as such, is probably contraindicated in people with low blood pressure. Individuals taking medications to lower their blood pressure should check with their doctor first before taking fedegoso (and monitor their blood pressure accordingly, as medications may need to be adjusted).

Long-term ingestion of small amounts and single high dosages of fedegoso seeds cause toxic reactions including myodegeneration and death. Do not use fedegoso seeds without the supervision of a qualified professional who is familiar with the mechanisms, chemicals, actions, and toxicity of these seeds.

Drug Interactions: It may potentiate the effects of antihypertensive drugs. Fedegoso has demonstrated
significant antihepatotoxic (liver protective), hepatotonic (liver tonic),
and hepatic detoxification (liver detoxifing) effects in animal and human studies.
As such, the use of this plant might interfere with the metabolism of some
drugs in the liver by increasing the clearance of them and/or reducing their
half-life (which may reduce the effects of those drugs that require metabolization
in the liver).

† The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the
Food and Drug Administration. The information contained in this plant
database file is intended for education, entertainment and information purposes only. This information is not intended to be used to diagnose, prescribe or replace proper medical care. The plant described herein is not
intended to treat, cure, diagnose, mitigate or prevent any disease.
Please refer to our Conditions of Use for using this plant database file and web site.

Third-Party Research on Fedegoso

All available third-party research on fedegoso can be found at PubMed. A partial listing of the third-party published research on fedegoso is shown below:

* The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the
Food and Drug Administration. The information contained in this plant
database file is intended for education, entertainment and information purposes only. This information is not intended to be used to diagnose, prescribe or replace proper medical care. The plant described herein is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose, mitigate or prevent any disease. Please refer to our Conditions of Use for using this plant database file and web site.